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Final Fantasy XIII-2 Announced
An anonymous reader writes "Square-Enix has announced Final Fantasy XIII-2 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. According to Gamespot, 'The newly christened Final Fantasy XIII-2 continues the adventures of Lightning and her team of RPG vagabonds in a brand new adventure, utilizing the long-in-development engine (and, probably, some of the art assets) that powered the original game. And because Square doesn't have to spend all of that extra time developing the engine, players won’t have to wait nearly as long to get their hands on this newest iteration of the game. According to Square Enix, Final Fantasy XIII-2 (which, in case you haven't guessed, is a game title that is just as terrible to type out as it is to say with your mouth) is on track for release in Japan this year. [The game] should be available in English-speaking territories by "next winter."'"
...sounds like they're trying to challenge Street Fighter for absurd numbering
I can't wait to see all the characters in a range of different outfits!
it's under construction
I'm waiting for my life to get really, really boring so that finishing XIII is actually the most interesting thing I have to do.
seems to me like after FFX final fantasy has just become a complete sellout....i use to get excited when a new final fantasy was coming out....not in a long time...
-Noc
There are two possible interpretations for this. The first, and kindest explanation, is that they have realised that they created some interesting fiction for FF13, but that they badly mishandled the game in general. They now want another stab at telling a story in the game-world they created, but with the game done better this time and with a proper ending to the story.
I could live with that. FF13 actually has a very decent plot for most of its duration (certainly the darkest of the FF-series plots, darker even than 6). The problem is that the gameplay is terrible and that they write themselves into a corner with the story at the end, such that they can only resolve it through a massive deus ex machina which doesn't fit with any of the narrative they'd built to that point. If they want to take another stab at the game world and do it right this time, then I'm ok with that.
If, on the other hand, they're just panicking about Square-Enix's currently precarious financial position and looking for a quick and easy cash-cow that they can pull together with unused assets from the original game (remember, they apparently created enough artwork to make a game twice as long as what they eventually released), then I'm a bit more skeptical. I am not playing another game which amounts to running down a corridor for 25 hours doing identical trash fights, breaking out into a small square room for a couple of hours, and then going back to the corridor for a final 5 hour slog.
Square-Enix have lost the plot badly during this console generation. They were masterful with the PS2 (I still think Kingdom Hearts 2 was the best game ever released for that platform), but these days, they seem to make a bunch of shovelware low-budget titles and to completely mishandle their big-budget ones. They said for FF13 that it just wasn't practical to do towns and sidequests on the current hardware generation, due to development costs. I hate to break it to them, but Mistwalker had already done it with Blue Dragon and (in particular) Lost Odyssey, the latter of which leaves FF13 in the dust.
Somebody really needs to go around S-E's offices with a hammer and smash all of their DS, PSP and Wii devkits. The company was at its best in previous cycles when its focus was on developing games for the upper-end hardware. They need to rebuild their focus on the 360, PS3 (and PC) and actually show us that they're still capable of that.
Wouldn't be the first time: they've already released FFX 2.
Apparently it was better than FFX, but I never got around to playing it. Somehow learning that they focused the game on the two most annoying characters killed it for me. The idea of having to listen to more Yuna is just... not appealing.
They shoulda just called it "Final Fantasy 14: We did better."
FFXIV already exists. Actually, never mind that. Given that I played it on launch, I'd rather forget that it exists. In fact, let's all just pretend there is no FFXIV, and that they've already done their "giant UI overhaul" and it changed nothing.
I mean, there is no FFXIV. Deep breaths, deep breaths...
You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
Well it is very awkward for English speakers considering we just don't string numbers together like that. Many people said 'X 2' instead of '10 2' because it was awkward. They don't have that choice this time.
The original Japanese has it written out as 'ten two' and 'thirteen two', borrowed from English, so there's no doubt how they expect people to say it.
"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
Why do they keep putting time and effort into making sequels of shit games, yet they refuse to do the minimal-effort massive-profit thing of re-releasing FF7 with high-def graphics? :-|
I mod down anyone who says "I will be modded down for this", regardless of the rest of their comment
NES - Final Fantasies 1/2/3
Super Nintendo - FF 4/5/6
Playstation - FF 7/8/9
PS2 - FF10/11/12 (10 was a two parter)
PS3 - FF13/14. Maybe they'll have time for a FF15 but it's doubtful.
>>>the number one thingabout XIII that is really awful is it's absurdly linear gameplay
FF10 was very linear too. It had to be because it was basically a movie that you played, and they steered you along that specific plotline. Anyway that linearity didn't bother me because the story more than made-up for it. (And the later sequel which had tons of free movement.)
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
A sequel to 2010's #1 Corridor Simulator? Can't wait!
What's next from Square? FF XIV-2, now with 97% more lag and still featuring the worst UI in modern MMO gaming?
This is one company I was glad to see suffer financial issues last year. They lost their way a long time ago and have just been putting out garbage and re-releases. It's long past time something wakes them up and reminds them that gameplay actually matters.
-- "So they told me that using the download page to download something was not something they anticipated." - Bill Gates
I'll try it out when it runs on Linux.
Build your own energy sources from scratch. http://otherpower.com/
>>>The idea of having to listen to more Yuna is just... not appealing.
But Rikku... in a bikini. Good enough reason to lay-down $5 (used) to get the game. And the volleyball beachbum named Tidus(?), thankfully, is not seen much. And the various missions are random, so there's lots of freedom for the player to explore and enjoy..... kinda like the old 8 and 16 bit RPGs of the past.
Somebody else said:
>>>Many people said 'X 2' instead of '10 2' because it was awkward.
I always say "10 dash 2". No more awkward than saying "Mac OS 10 dot 6"
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
The first thing they need to do is convince potential customers that they are actually releasing a game and not a movie this time. Going to be a hard sell trying to get anyone to believe it. Probably a waste of money for localizing it to English. We already have somewhat higher expectations due to high quality CRPG experiences.
Fear is the mind killer.
that forbids Square Enix from continuing to use the word 'Final'?
Somehow it sounds like
"don't say you're mortal, you don't know if it's your final lifetime."
I believe that debate has been going on for a while...
Build your own energy sources from scratch. http://otherpower.com/
I hope this is another sequel where I can take a team of girls all over the planet in search of new and exciting outfits!
*sigh*
SqEnix - Just get to the FFVII remake already...
Many people said 'X 2' instead of '10 2' because it was awkward.
That, and the last time there was an "X2" it was a Capcom game starring a rebuilt Mega Man, pronounced ekkusu two.
that forbids Square Enix from continuing to use the word 'Final'?
It's probably next to the petition that forbids Capcom from using "Final" in future Mike Haggar games.
The word is "intersexed" damn it.
And I mean a game-- Advent Children doesn't count.
Back when Square released the original Final Fantasy on the NES the tile was appropriate because it was their last chance to release a good game before bankruptcy. I think once you hit the fifth or sixth incarnation the "Final" part of the title loses its impact but I can see why they aren't rushing to change the name after having established such a big brand.
You can start a petition if you want, maybe even try boycotting the series, that seems to work... right?
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
I think I might sit this one out. My thumbs haven't quite recovered from all the ridiculous button mashing fighting in the first one. All I did was press X over and over and over again.
Please no Treasure Hunter trophy.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 (which, in case you haven't guessed, is a game title that is just as terrible to type out as it is to say with your mouth)
Not nearly as terrible as Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, which was announced the same day. The title just reeks of "quick, we need to come up with something '3D' can stand for!" I do admit that the game looks pretty neat, as does XIII-2... I just hope that they don't screw it up.
"Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded." -Archbishop Fulton Sheen
I guess "Tunnel monster fighting simulator" was taken
I got the message with FF XIII. Squeenix thinks that painful linear grinding is something gamers must subjugate themselves to in order to earn a steady drip feed of treacly cutscenes. No thanks. If I want to watch prerenders I will watch a movie. If I ever hear the term "battle system" again I will just say no. I put FF XIII on the shelf to gather dust forever about 12 boring hours in. I couldn't stand it any more.
Have you got your LWN subscription yet?
I hope this time they put the japanese voices on PAL & NTSC-US game's discs. English dubs are degrading the intended experience.
Wouldn't be the first time: they've already released FFX 2.
Apparently it was better than FFX
Please tell me your trolling...
I've long been a Final Fantasy fan since FFI, FXIII was a pretty major dissapointment for me but I held out hope for XIV, I enjoyed XI... what a bomb.. the only thing that gives me hope is Squares repsonse to the XIV failure. They've dropped the subscription fee and said they won't charge until they're satisfied with how the game is, they dumped the old team and brought in new, from development to management. I think Square has invested into a story that theyr'e happy with and are dissapointed once again with how XIII came out. Hopefully they're putting a new team together, as they are with XIV to make things right for the fans.
Not trolling, but I may have been trolled: I've never actually played it past the opening.
You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
So how about they take the art talent to where it's useful. Remakes of older games isn't a terrible market.
How many people have said they're buy FF7 or FF 6 (FF3 US) again if it were given a facelift? How many people haven't had a chance to experience them yet?
Take all those extra artists and a bit of budget, remake those games. Keep the story the same, the mechnics etc the same, and give them a new-gen facelift. I'd buy them.
Come on, the worst part of FFXIII was the extraordinarily messy final battle and ending (or in fact anything from when they left Pulse) where it seemed like the developers just gave up and decided to wrap up the game. And it was pretty abrupt too really. If any FF game is ripe for a sequel, this one is.
Besides, I'm waiting to see Sazh use the Lady Luck dress sphere.
You do know that the last boss doesn't lose HP unless it is staggered right? Just use Rav/Rav/Rav to get him into stagger mode, before you try to chip away at any HP :)
But Rikku... in a bikini.
Lulu was the one I wanted to see in a bikini... but she's not even in that game. ;_;
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
Not trolling, but I may have been trolled: I've never actually played it past the opening.
You dodged a bullet there.